52 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 



cylindrical masses of a yellowish-brown. Cephalanthera is 

 thought by some to be parasitic, but is declared not to be so 

 by Dr. D. T. MacDougal, who is most familiar with its habits 

 and home life. It is, however, saprophytic, and possibly in a 

 certain degree parasitic. A peculiar characteristic of this 

 strange orchid is that it is self-fertilized. 



Many other plants are on the verge of becoming beggar 

 plants. Our Gerardias are slowly changing into parasites. 

 The roots of Gerardia flava, recently examined, revealed the 

 presence of sucker-like disks which were attached to the roots 

 of Vaccinium vacillans. These plants have the power of de- 

 veloping these clinging disks whenever they come in contact 

 with other roots. Often, however, they attach themselves 

 to their own roots, showing that they have no power of dis- 

 tinguishing the roots from which they would steal nourish- 

 ment. 



New York City. 



OVERCOMING DIFFICULTIES. 



BY M. F. BRADSHAW. 



IN studying plants we often note the struggle for existence 

 and the various methods adopted, nearly every plant having 

 a way of its own. The commonest and most approved is that 

 of forming seed and for this end insects are attracted by 

 many devices, to pollinate the blossoms. 



I think there is no plant I ever saw that was able to make 

 seeds in greater numbers than the common morning glory of 

 our gardens. The plants, coming up every day in the year, in 

 this climate, are a pest equal to the most persistent and insid- 

 ious weeds. But we have one, Ipomoea hcderacea — commonly 

 called the blue moon flower and not a moon-flower at all as 

 it blooms in the early morning like any other morning glory — 

 that forms no seed. 



